Record Olympic gold medallists in New Year honours list

Dinesh Weerawansa reporting from England

LONDON, Dec. 29. - Great Britain, the proud host of the 2012 Olympic Games, once again demonstrated its passion for sport , giving prominence to gold medallists and world champions in the New Year Honours List.

London 2012 gold medallist and Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins has been knighted as several other gold medallists and celebrated sportsmen dominated the New Year Honours List. Wiggins appears on a special list drawn up to recognise 78 Games heroes, including double gold medallists in long distance running Mo Farah.

His first gold for Great Britain came during a pulsating 46 minutes in the Olympic Stadium on Super Saturday, 4 August, when Team GB picked up three gold medals - Farah in the 10,000m, Ennis in the heptathlete and Greg Rutherford in the long jump, an achievement that earned him an MBE.

This is the first time in the British history that such a large number of Olympic gold medallists have been included in the New Year Honours list. A Cabinet Office spokesman said an unprecedented number of sportspeople had received honours, with 123 awards compared to 44 in the last list. Of these, 78 were related to the Olympics or Paralympics.

He said there were four criteria in deciding which athletes should be awarded including longevity in the sport, general performance and how much they give back to the sporting community. The sporting honours committee also assesses what stage the individual is in their career in terms of whether they are likely to be competing for a further number of years.

Paralympic cyclist Sarah Storey becomes a dame after taking four golds while the most decorated sailor in Olympic history, Ben Ainslie, is knighted.

Katherine Grainger, Victoria Pendleton, Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah and David Weir become CBEs, and Andy Murray is an OBE. The stars behind Great Britain’s cycling and rowing success, performance directors Dave Brailsford and David Tanner, will also become “Sirs”.

Those who will be awarded Knighthoods are Ben Ainslie (sailing), Sarah Storey (cycling), Bradley Wiggins (cycling), Dave Brailsford (cycling) and David Tanner (rowing). CBE honours will be conferred on Jessica Ennis (athletics), Mo Farah (athletics), Katherine Grainger (rowing), Victoria Pendleton (cycling) amd David Weir (athletics)

Among those who will be conferred OBE titles are Jason Kenny (cycling), Andy Murray (tennis), Ellie Simmonds (swimming), Laura Trott (cycling). MBE titles will be awarded to Nicola Adams (boxing), Alistair Brownlee (triathlon), Jonny Peacock (athletics), Greg Rutherford (athletics) and Louis Smith (gymnastics).

Besides the sportsmen and women, OBEs will go for actor Ewan McGregor and fashion designer Stella McCartney, while illustrator Quentin Blake was knighted on the main list for those not involved in London 2012. Industrial designer, Kenneth Grange, the man behind the UK’s first parking meter, the InterCity 125 train and the Kodak Instamatic camera will also be Knighted.

Singer Kate Bush and artist Tracey Emin will be made CBEs, a honour also bestowed on former Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips, for her services to dance and to charity. Comedy writer Jeremy Lloyd, 82, co-wrote TV shows including the BBC’s ‘Allo ‘Allo and Are You Being Served is among the OBEs.

In recognition of her service to women’s issues and to charity in the UK and overseas Cherie Blair, the wife of former Prime Minister Tony Blair, will be awarded CBE, The first female foreign secretary Margaret Beckett becomes a dame.

Some of the biggest names of London 2012 will also be given CBEs - Britain’s most successful female rower, Katherine Grainger, the poster girl of the Games, Jessica Ennis, and wheelchair athlete David “The Weirwolf” Weir. Weir won four gold medals in the 5,000m, 1500m, 800m and marathon at the 2012 Paralympics.

Andy Murray was rewarded with a CBE in a year which saw him win Olympic gold and become the first British man to win a grand slam singles title for 76 years when he triumphed in the US Open.

However, one name missing from the list is film and theatre director Danny Boyle, whose artistic vision was so spectacularly realised in the Olympic opening ceremony but who is believed to have turned one down.

Over 72% of the recipients are people who have undertaken outstanding work in their communities either in a voluntary or paid capacity.